The present invention relates to so-called wire processing apparatus wherein a coated, filamentary member, such as an electrical wire or optical fiber, is clamped in a fixed position while blade means sever the coating layer(s) and strip the severed slug(s) from the member. In a preferred form, the apparatus of the invention is operable to successively sever and strip a plurality of coating layers from the filamentary member. Although it will be understood that the present invention, and related prior art equipment, may be used with many types of filamentary workpieces, for simplicity of discussion the workpiece will be considered an electrical cable having a central core and a plurality of coating or covering layers of electrical insulation, magnetic shielding, and the like, i.e., such as a coaxial cable, and will be referred to as a "wire" throughout the following written description.
A wide variety of equipment has been devised for the purpose of severing and stripping coating layers from coaxial cables, and other wires with a plurality of coating layers. Such equipment may be constructed for entirely manual operation, fully automated operation, or some combination of the two. Examples of fully automated cutting/stripping machines may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,111,720, 5,243,882, and others, wherein values representing a plurality of lengths (from the end of the cable to the longitudinal position of the cut) and radial depths of successive cuts, each through a different covering layer, may be entered via a keypad and stored in electronic memory. Upon actuation, the equipment proceeds automatically to make successive cuts through the covering layers at the lengths and depths stored in memory.
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide apparatus for successively cutting through a plurality of layers of a coaxial cable at different lengths and depths with some settings entered by an operator and stored in a purely mechanical manner with other settings entered and stored electronically. That is, the principal object of the invention is to provide novel and improved hybrid or semi-automatic apparatus for cutting through a plurality of covering layers at various lengths and depths of cuts.
Another object is to provide apparatus for gripping a wire with a substantially constant force over a range of wire diameters as cutting and stripping of covering layers is performed.
A further object is to provide wire processing apparatus with means for storing two sets of values relating to lengths of cuts and/or other variables and for performing functions commensurate with each set of values alternately on two different wire ends.
Still another object is to provide novel and improved means for mechanically storing a plurality of radial depths of cuts to be made in covering layers of a coaxial cable and for implementing successive cuts at the mechanically stored depths.
Other objects will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.